Trust
by Kung-lou
Summary: (Ch3 edited) Ranma gets thrown into randland just as he starts losing faith in humanity RanmaWot
1. Disappearances and possibilities

Trust  
  
Ch1: Disappearances and possibilities  
  
Rand stared at the portal stone that would take him to Toman Head, to the horn of Valere and the dagger of Shadar Logoth for Mat. Ignoring the presence of Verin and the others he embraced the void and reached for Saidin revelling in the way it brought him and his surroundings to life. The taint as always was there, like a thick film of sludge on top of an otherwise pristine body of Saidin. He couldn't allow his concentration to stray to the feeling of filth that accompanied reaching through that layer or on the life enhancing sensations that lay beyond for fear of losing himself in the on going struggle for control that always accompanied the embracing of Saidin. It required all his focus to dominate the flood of molten metal and funnel it through the symbol on the portal stone, the symbol that would take them away from Cairhien.  
  
"Something is happening," Verin said "something…"  
  
The world flickered.  
  
Rand struggled for control as he watched himself die upon tying to help his father against some trollocs.  
  
"is not…"  
  
The world flickered  
  
The power raged as he watched the world become blanketed with ranks of trollocs and armies of Fades. Once again he died with the words "I have won again Lews Therin," echoing in his ears.  
  
"Right. Something…" Verin screamed  
  
The world flickered and Rand experienced thousands of possible lives, most ending in his death as he struggled for control and always the terrible words "I have won again Lews Therin," filled his soul with dread.  
  
Flicker, flicker, flicker, flicker.  
  
Just before he lost control of the raging river of Saiden shattering the void he came across a possibility that didn't belong to his life. He stood in a hall that could only have been destroyed by the power, yet there were no Aes sedai in sight. Only two girls a little younger than he fighting with a skill and ferocity that he had only ever seen in Lan.   
  
His eyes were drawn to a young man sitting in what once must have been his best clothes. The young man that drew his attention looked neither surprised nor awed at the skill the girls were displaying and judging from the unconscious bodies around him it wasn't hard to see why.   
  
Although he was unable to hear on interact like the other lives he had lived he was able to tell that like him the young man sitting before him was struggling for control. He seemed a kindred spirit, someone who could relate to his fear of being manipulated and controlled.  
  
That's when the young man turned around and made eye contact. The pigtailed youths burning blue eyes seemed to latch onto his own putting pressure on the void. Combined with his own struggle to control the torrent of power now flooding through him the pressure was too great and the void shattered, his contact with Saidin fled.  
  
Rand looked around at the men he had brought to Toman Head shakily, he had lived and died a thousand times but despite that he had managed to bring everyone to Toman Head alive without Aes sadai help. Still he couldn't help but be haunted by the burning blue eyes of that young man in the shattered hall.  
  
*****  
  
Ranma sat and stared unblinkingly at Shampoo and Ukyo fighting in the shattered remains of the Tendo dojo. He had long since disposed of the Kuno's and Mousse himself even if it had wrecked the tuxedo he had been wearing. To think that he had misjudged everyone so much, he felt like screaming and crying but he just stared and for once his face gave away none of his thoughts or emotions.  
  
When the two old men had chained him up, dressed him in a tuxedo and put him in front of the alter he had at first been very upset. Seeing Akane dressed like she had been though had him quickly rethinking his position. They had been getting along better lately, certainly a lot better than when he had first arrived at the Tendo dojo and he didn't think spending his life with the tomboy would be the worst thing in the world.  
  
He didn't know if he loved her or not, hell he didn't even know what love was but at that moment he didn't care. How his other fiancées would take it he didn't know, but he hadn't thought they would blow up his wedding. Not even his dishonourable panda of a father would blow up a wedding and there wasn't much he wouldn't do.  
  
Once the wedding had started he had felt a great relief that the fighting between his friends would stop. The wedding had started and there wasn't anything they could do, had he been wrong. Tatewaki had brought steel, Kadachi had come wearing a wedding dress and Ukyo and Shampoo came bearing bombs. Naturally Mousse followed Shampoo and Happosai followed the free sake.   
  
He had well and truly misjudged everybody, well not quite, the fact that they all blamed him was nothing new. Akane's comment about 'ruining her wedding' had been a revelation though, he had always thought weddings were between two people. Maybe choosing Akane over Shampoo wouldn't have been so different after all. For two years he had struggled to obtain some measure of control over his life, today it had flooded out of his control.  
  
He had always trusted that his fiancées, no matter how badly their fights became, would not involve any bystanders. Always the safety of bystanders though not necessarily property came first and foremost above pride and rivalry. It was a trust which had been broken today, his trust in Akane had been broken and his fathers' unwillingness to defend the sanctity of a marriage ceremony against intrusion broke Ranma's trust in his fathers humanity.  
  
Not that it had required much, he had become reluctant in trusting his father's morals and judgement for years, but today… no more. As for the rest of them, not once had any of them given him any reason to trust them although he had trusted that their humanity and human decency would prevent them from going too far, sadly it had not been enough. All except Kasumi, she was someone that had no shortage of humanity. Kasumi was only one person and against all those he knew… it would not, could not restore the faith that until today he had held in the humanity of people.  
  
Ranma saw a flicker in the corner of his eye, there was a boy standing to the side of the dojo watching the fight. Ranma hadn't seen him around Nerima before, he was a few years older than he and stood like a fighter. The young fighter had the look of someone struggling for control against something that was too big for him. Like Ranma though he didn't seem to be giving up even with incredibly short odds. It was something that the two seemed to share, those short odds made them strive harder.  
  
Ranma tried to probe his aura to see if he meant any harm, he had learnt that strangers were not to be trusted around Nerima especially fighters. The fact that he hadn't immediately jumped in and attacked was in the mans favour but it didn't decrease Ranma's suspicions any. It was healthy to be suspicious around here since often people you knew were to be trusted the least, they could and sometimes would stab you in the back as fast as any stranger would.   
  
Ranma raised his eyebrows in surprise there seemed to be something strange about his aura something…  
  
The world flickered.  
  
*****  
  
Shampoo grinned, Ukyo had improved and was giving her a decent workout for a change. It was a shame that none of her bombs had hit there mark but they had achieved their purpose by stopping the wedding. She was a little sorry that some bystanders had gotten caught up in their little mess but she had faith that Ranma would save them from getting too hurt. He was like that.  
  
Shampoo frowned as Ukyo's guard suddenly dropped leaving her wide open. Not that she was complaining, she proceeded to punt Ukyo into what was left of the dojo's walls taking full advantage of whatever had distracted her.  
  
"What wrong spatula girl, Shampoo too too much for you." She taunted as she turned around to where she knew Ranma was sitting to do a little gloating. He wasn't there, where had he gone?  
  
"Where Ranma Spatula girl," she demanded turning her attention back to Ukyo. Ukyo must have had a clear view of where he had vanished to, maybe that was what had distracted her.  
  
Ukyo crawled out of the indent she had created in the wall and tersely replied, "I don't know, I blinked and he was gone." If that were true then she needed to get great grandmother. Shampoo suddenly had a very bad felling about this. Another truce needed to be called until Ranma was found and the status quo restored.  
  
*****  
  
Ranma opened his eyes slightly disorientated. He was lying on a dry grassy plain, a hard dry grassy plain. Ranma wondered where he was, it had been years since Genma had beaten him to unconsciousness and left him somewhere on the pretence of survival training. Not since he had become good enough to stop him besides he didn't have the injuries that he usually awakened to when he was unceremoniously dumped in the wild.   
  
The last thing he remembered was the attempted wedding and his overwhelming disappointment and anger at his fiancées. There was something about a stranger but the memory slipped away before he could grasp it. Ranma shrugged, it was just a matter of time before he remembered or shit hit the fan and from experience shit would hit the fan first.  
  
It hardly mattered though, first he needed to orient himself and make a count of his possessions. Survival as always came first, and then he would worry about what happened and how to get back. Ranma quickly suppressed the small voice asking why he would want to go back, survival first questions later. A quick look established what he had already suspected, apart from the clothes on his back, a thermos of hot water and some martial art and shiatsu scrolls that he hadn't had a chance to look at yet he had nothing. No cooking gear, no tents or blankets and none of the things that would have made catching some food in the form of game all the easier.  
  
Ranma wasn't worried though, he had been in worse situations before and survived them. He had no doubt that he would survive this one to and like the other times the challenge would make him stronger and maybe teach him some important lesson. A cursory look at his surroundings told him little more about his situation than he had already surmised when he had first awakened.   
  
To his south and east stretched what seemed to be two great mountain ranges and to the north and west the grasslands seemed to extend forever without any sign of human habitation. After his recent experience at the attempted wedding he was inclined to think that was a good thing. Still with no food, shelter or camping gear it was probably a good idea to look for some sort of settlement even if he wasn't going to stay.  
  
Ranma's stomach growled reminding him that at the worst possible moment that it was meal time and that he had had nothing to eat at the reception. With a sigh Ranma picked a direction and started walking, keeping a careful eye out for game. North, he would travel north.   
  
From the geography he could be anywhere, but he was certain that as soon as he found someone to tell him where he was he would be half way home. No one would ever mistake him for Ryoga. Ranma growled remembering Ryoga's contribution to the mess back at the Tendo's, no he was certain no one would ever mistake him for that pig.  
  
With another cursory glance at his surroundings Ranma set off. He would never get any where standing around and his softly growling stomach was telling him that it would be a long couple of days. Too long had he relied on Kasumi's sweet nature and her ever lasting supply of wonderful food, he had almost forgotten what travelling was like. Well there was nothing like the present to remind him.  
  
Ranma started running at a steady energy conserving pace north not even notice the columnar stone that was half buried and overgrown, lying just south of his position. Nor did he notice the array of symbols that covered it, even if he had it was doubtful that he would have known their significance.  
  
*****  
  
This was serious, when she had told her great grandmother of Ranma's disappearance in the aftermath of the wedding she had assumed that he had just run away temporarily to blow off some steam. Shampoo knew that he had his own hiding places in and around the ward for just those purposes and while she respected his privacy while in those places she still reported them to her great grandmother. After all she knew how important to his sanity they were, she herself sometimes needed the same in this backward country.  
  
When she returned after the afternoon delivery though she knew something was wrong. Mousse was gleeful, for a while, he was soon … sleeping and her great grandmother was serious. Cologne had always told her that at her age if she couldn't look at life with a laugh then she might as well be dead. Cologne was frequently stirring up trouble, plotting and playing practical jokes all for a laugh and who could tell her too stop, she was the matriarch of the Amazons for many reasons the least of which was her age.  
  
"Come Shampoo, it seems son in law has gotten himself in trouble again. We will know more once we get to the dojo," Cologne left her to lock the café and catch up. "Ranma still hasn't returned despite missing some meals and no one has seen him. Ranma never misses a free meal and there is something about his disappearance that has me worried." Shampoo just nodded in agreement she herself had discretely checked all his hiding spots and still hadn't seen him.  
  
The site of Tofu and Happosai sitting at the table along with Genma, Ukyo, Suon and his two youngest daughters raised the hairs on the back of her neck. Everyone only gathered and was this calm when something was very wrong. "Cologne," Happosai nodded in her direction inviting her to take a seat. "Ukyo was just telling us what she saw."  
  
Ukyo cleared her throat obviously uncomfortable being seated between Happosai and Akane, even if they were behaving themselves. "Shampoo and I had just finished throwing all our bombs," she shifted nervously in her seat. No worse than she herself was, that little insanity had cost the Tendo's a dojo after all and some bystanders had nearly been injured, her great grandmother had not been pleased.  
  
"Go on," for once Happosai's grandfatherly appearance seemed to work and Ukyo continued.   
  
"We were sparing in what was left of the dojo, everyone else had either been knocked out or had left, only Ranma stayed. He seemed to be watching our fight even more intensely than he usually does, as if he were judging us. That's when he suddenly disappeared, one moment he was watching us fight and then he was gone. I was so shocked that I lowered my guard and Shampoo smacked me into the wall." Ukyo rubbed her shoulder at the remembered pain.  
  
Happosai looked meaningfully at Cologne and Tofu, it seemed he as master of the anything goes had taken control of the situation. As one they all stood up and proceeded to the smashed dojo.  
  
"What's going on too too violent girl? What too too crazy doctor doing here and why pervert panty man behaving so…." Shampoo struggled for the word "not perverted."  
  
"Yeah Akane spill, what's going on."  
  
Akane who had up until this time kept to her self answered before Nabiki could cut in and ask for money. "Ranma's gone, all his stuff is still here but he…" Akane turned away to hide her worried frown "has vanished."  
  
"Don't worry Akane, I'm sure that grandfather Happosai, elder Cologne and nice Dr. Tofu will find him." Kasumi consoled, effectively turning Akane's worried expression into one of anger.  
  
"Who said I was worried about that jerk any way," she muttered.  
  
Nabiki just stayed out of the argument that was bound to erupt between the fiancées now that the only people capable of stopping one had left and hoped that her redundancy recording equipment in the dojo had escaped destruction.   
  
*****  
  
Tofu was the first to break the silence after they arrived in the wrecked dojo, "what will we tell the children, no matter what they thought of him it was Ranma who held them together."  
  
"We can tell them the truth, or part of it. Ranma has survived and even thrived in worse situations than he now no doubt finds himself in. What we should be asking ourselves is, is there any way to get him back or go after him." Happosai sat smoking his pipe as he watched Cologne probe the residue that still lingered in the area Ranma disappeared from.  
  
"Yes, quite interesting. In all our 3000 year history it has occurred no more than a handful of times. It is quite remarkable that son in law managed quite a feat. Usually travelling dimensions requires the aid of an artefact similar to the Nanban mirror. It would be best if we could find a way to retrieve him, if son in law masters the ability to travel between dimensions at will it would cause all kinds of problems."  
  
"Like not being able to snatch him for your tribe Cologne," interjected Happosai.  
  
Tofu cleared his throat forestalling any conflict, "the story we should tell the children?"  
  
"Just tell them that he got sucked into another dimension and that were looking for a way to get him back, that is if he doesn't find a way back himself first, its no less believable than some of the other things that has happened to my heir. They'll believe it."  
  
"Yes," Cologne added having finished studying the remaining residue "Shampoo and I will travel back to China. All my records are kept there, besides MY heir has been getting lax lately. I'll leave that fool Mousse in case you need to get hold of me."  
  
Cologne paused and gave the two men opposite her a hard stare, "I trust you'll keep me informed of any developments."   
  
As Tofu followed the two grandmasters from the dojo he couldn't help but feel some foreboding. Not just for Ranma but for Nerima and the children. Had he noticed the soft red blinking under a snapped floorboard his feeling of foreboding would only have become worse.   
  
*****  
  
The sight of trees had come first, a sure sign that water wasn't far away. Not even he could go far without water and Ranma had been pushing his limit. Game had been scarce this near the mountains but he had been wary of changing direction lest he become disorientated and even more lost, something that had become increasingly more likely with lack of food and no water. 'Keep the mountains to my left and keep going' had become Ranmas catch cry as the days wore on and the nights got colder.  
  
By the time the mountain range started to curve away from true north, Ranma could clearly see a body of trees on the horizon. The trees in the distance clearly represented a body of water while the mountain range was his only definable landmark. Still it was an easy choice to make and so he had headed for the trees rather than curving of with the mountains.  
  
The river provided water to slack his thirst and fish to sate his hunger but it was a temporary solution since he still had not found any signs of habitation. He needed some supplies if he was going to camp out any longer, that need over rode any reluctance Ranma might've had for approaching a settlement.  
  
Now he had found a water source though he felt that it was only a matter of time before he found someone. Even in the most remote regions that he and Genma had been to there had always been someone camped close to a river. The world had become too crowded for it to be otherwise.  
  
  
  
The trees provided more shelter than he had enjoyed for days and having a campfire after spending so long tired, cold and hungry was bliss. After recovering his strength a little he would travel north another day. If he still hadn't found anyone he could always retreat and follow the river to wherever it led.  
  
Some supplies and no responsibilities to hold him back from doing what he enjoyed most – perfecting the art and developing new techniques. It was freedom but Ranma wasn't sure how long it would last and it was only a matter of time before someone found him. Besides, now that his hunger was sated his conscience had started reminding him that he still had some distasteful responsibilities back in Nerima. One thing was sure though, something would happen soon to make his life more complicated and even harder than it was now.  
  
  
  
A/N: - The first little bit is almost straight from the great hunt Ch 37: What might be.  
  
-This isn't at much more than a concept stage but it was an idea that was keeping me awake at night. I'm still a live but I won't be writing much for the next few weeks – exams, thesis work.  
  
-For those that hadn't guessed Ranma was deposited just north of the Kinslayer dagger. Verin mentioned there was a portal stone there but didn't elaborate so I used it for my purpose though I she did imply that it was on the cairhein side, oh well. 


	2. Ch2

Trust  
  
Ch2: Untitled  
  
As Ranma approached the nameless village before him he was slowly coming to the conclusion that he may not be on earth anymore or at least in the same reality. The grassy plain that he had just traversed, the mountain range he had been using as a marker combined with the freshness in the air and the general feel of the land he was walking all seemed… different. Now with what he was seeing from his approach of the town, he just shook his head with a sigh. Nothing was ever easy, in fact his life was not only always as problematic as possible but inordinately complicated.  
  
Entering the settlement confirmed what he suspected. The housing mingled some rough stone and woodwork with a simple architecture in a way that just seemed alien. Then there was the way people were dressed. Men clad in simple leather shirts, tight trousers and jackets of different quality leather cuts dominated the streets. He could see the occasional woman wearing modestly long dresses often with embroidered bodices as he walked through the quaint community. There was nothing in all of his wide training travels that had come close to resembling this, even in the most remote communities he and his father had visited.  
  
The looks he was getting as he passed through the village and approached what was hopefully the market place seemed to bolster his view that he was the oddity here and not the other way round. Still the responses he received for directions were so unerringly polite they put his teeth on edge. No one was that polite except for Kusumi and she was a special case. No Ranma thought thinking of his fiancés, from his experience such politeness hid darker motives. Still he was in a different place or time maybe people were different, they had certainly treated him better than he could remember being treated anywhere. He would Ranma decided give them the benefit of the doubt while still guarding against betrayal, besides his former betrayal no longer felt so raw. If he was in fact in another reality then there was no reason he should not give them the benefit of the doubt.  
  
Still, completely trusting these people was foolish so he increased his guard against the building sense of security he had begun to feel since his arrival. It was this increased guard that allowed him to notice a definite change in the atmosphere of the community as soon as it changed. Hardened men with shaved heads, men who looked like they knew how to handle the swords that they wielded, quickly replaced the men and woman he had been observing. Ranma watched as the few women that filled the streets were herded away by other male non-combatants as the dreadful sound of melee filled his ears. The heady smell wood smoke followed the shouted orders and the screams of pain signalling that the town that he had entered hoping to buy supplies from was under attack. An attack, which threatened to engulf the relatively small village.  
  
Still damp from the river he had crossed earlier in the day Ranma withstood being grouped and herded to safety with the rest of the women but he hesitated in running to the town and villagers defence. Something like that would require more trust than he was willing to give. From his experience in Nerima both attackers and defenders would likely unite to attack him upon entering the fray to either defend the villagers or unite with those attacking. Ranma's face-hardened as the cloying smell of blood begun to intermingle with the wood smoke and the sounds of melee approached. A decent brawl was one thing but with the amount of blood he could smell, people were dying while he stood and debated whether to trust these people or not.  
  
Time seemed to slow as a young woman erupted from a side alley and started running in his direction upon seeing him. Behind her a humaniod monstrosity almost twice his cursed forms height and three times her width hefted a spear. Ranma blinked taking in the smell of wood smoke mingled with that of blood, sweat and fear. He widened his eyes in horror as the eagle headed attacker approached the young woman. Its measured pace contrasted the hysterically fast run which the young woman was setting. The young woman's face almost seemed hopeful as her hopeless eyes focused on Ranma's own. Ranma's eyes widened further in horror as the monster let his spear fly, the almost comical way in which the young woman jerked as the spear impaled her and the way in which her hysterically hopeful expression slowly turned to one of pleading and pain seemed to burn itself into his brain.   
  
Ranma clenched his fists at the almost smug look in the non-human face as it continued its measured approached. Time seemed to return to normal as he grew angrier. Was it natural for the strong to prey on the weak, was that an aspect that humanity shared with these demons. He closed his eyes as he felt his aura burst free quickly heating and then evaporating the water that still dampened his clothes. Sighing with satisfaction as his form returned to it's more muscular self he allowed himself a grin, enough hesitating. Enough people had died and he faced his favourite type of fight. One in which he didn't need to hold back and where there was a clear enemy to defeat, a clear objective.  
  
Without further thought the glowing figure blurred forward and slammed the eagle headed fiend into a stone wall, not even noticing the growing cracks that appeared behind the broken body or its broken slump before he moved on.  
  
*****  
  
Shaidar Haran smiled feraly behind his shadowed hood as he tossed another broken body to the side. These top-knotted swordsmen may have been a match for his trollocs and some even a match for an ordinary myrddraal but to him they were merely an annoyance. His powers had jumped significantly since the two seals had been broken and now he felt unstoppable.   
  
He turned his eyeless gaze towards the town in irritation, it seemed his pets were having too much fun even after he had warned them. It had required significant effort to smuggle such a large force so far south of the blight undetected. To justify such an effort most of the towns' folk needed to be recovered for the insatiable forges of Shayol Ghul, especially after the disaster at Tawins Gap. New myrddraal awaited arming with the cursed blades which could only be produced at those cursed forges.  
  
Instead of finishing off the soldiers an increasing number of lowly trollocs were slaughtering the very people he needed, the weak and defenceless villages. Obviously he hadn't threatened them in terms that they had understood he thought with disgust as he casually gutted a nameless soldier with the grace and speed of a snake.  
  
"What…" Shaidar Haran stopped in surprise as he felt coldness in his bones, a coldness, which could only mean one thing. Yes, this would make things much more interesting. While this senseless slaughter was satisfying it lacked what he craved most, a challenge, a challenge which would allow him to search for the limits of his new powers. When a glowing man stepped out from behind a burning house however he started with surprise and prepared to step into a nearby shadow. He could not afford to revel himself to Lews Therin so soon. The great lord still had plans that could only be disrupted by a conflict here. Still he had reports that Lews Therin was much further south so…  
  
When a trio of trollocs charged the glowing figure Shaidar Haran watched closely. He knew how the former dragon would have dealt with such a threat but he was interesting in seeing how the new one would. Besides with Lews Therin's present all was lost in this sortie anyway.   
  
He watched in amusement as the trollocs all prepared to jump the glowing figure from behind in an attempt to over whelm the reborn dragon, "brawn all brawn" he snorted in disgust. "Any channeler worth the great lords attention would never fall from such a brainless tactic – suicide."  
  
Besides there was something about this man that smelt wrong, a smell that he would not have expected Lews Therin to have.  
  
*****  
  
Khellar dry heaved into a blood filled gutter once again, he had long since vomited everything he had eaten in the last three days in his personal defence of the village. All the blood, the body parts and other realities of war sickened him, nothing would have prepared him for the scenes that he had witnessed again and again. He would never be able to forget them and certainly his sleep would be disrupted for years to come. So far south of the blight, he never imagined that he would be witness to such brutality, that didn't stop him from doing his part in the defence of Medo though. It was his duty as a Sherienarian and a man. More than one Trolloc had fallen to his steel tipped arrows surgically delivered from his horse bow. Now with his last arrow he had chosen a target he felt world tip the balance in the lights favour.   
  
So far Medo's defences were barely holding the main body of the dark spawn back, signs of Trollocs slipping through their lines and attacking villages had started to increase. No, if he could turn this tide he would. He was no hero, but this was he felt his duty. The glowing figure had seemingly reinforced the attacking group of dark fiends his deadly grace and unnerving presence seemed to be reforming the attacking group. Already Trollocs were forming behind him in preparation for a new offensive, an offensive that threatened to break the defending swordsman's resolve. But no matter how deadly they looked, they all fell when his steel tipped arrows penetrated their evil, hardened skulls.  
  
Khellar carefully took aim and released his deadly load. One less spawn would bother the light tonight he thought taking his leave, nothing could dodge his arrows once they were in motion. Meanwhile staying would risk attracting the attention of the Trollocs that had gathered around the glowing figure. No, it was best to make tracks now that he was essentially unarmed. Khellar watched in satisfaction as his arrow arched through the sky, cutting tracks in the clouds of wood smoke. He had fired enough arrows in his lifetime to know that this one would strike his target. With one last disgusted look at his empty quiver Khellar ran towards the shelter, even weaponless he would do his bit to defend the women and children.  
  
******  
  
Shampoo starred unblinking in amazement, "I still can't believe grandmother. Why we leave Nerima," she just didn't understand her grandmother's decision at all. Cologne had come to Nerima to help her snare Ranma in the first place, sure he had taken a back seat in her training but to give up completely was unacceptable. As long as the status quo was maintained she could be assured of eventual victory and the longer they delayed the stronger husband she gained.   
  
Cologne didn't even shift her gaze from the gentle swell, which rocked their boat as it crossed the Sea of Japan. "You can speak Chinese Xian Pu, we aren't in Japan anymore. Don't confuse leaving Nerima with abandoning son in law, they are too completely different things now that son in law is no longer at the Tendo's and more importantly out of that fat fools grasp. No I told Tufu the truth, but only enough to mislead him. At the village will be information on how to get to son in law, and you will be going to collect him. Gaining exclusive access to son in law will however change your priorities. No longer will it be acceptable to occupy yourself with more enjoyable ventures such as training, instead you will have to concentrate in snaring son in law completely. This is why we are taking such a laborious route to the village, there is no telling what dangers you will encounter on your journey to reach son in laws side. Nor the dangers you will both face once you become reunited. You must be in peak condition, a condition which you will only gain by fighting a superior opponent, me."  
  
Cologne cackled as she hoped from her cane to the small boats railing "no, I will only be sending misinformation to Nerima. Not even Happosai will be aware how misleading until it's too late and Ranma is irrevocably within our grasp. Mousse will help keep the appearance of the helpful and knowledgeable Amazons, but tell me girl. Are you still willing to pursue Ranma as your husband?"  
  
"Yes matriarch," Shampoo bowed formally, to think that Ranma would finally be hers. What power he would give her, what influence. Her grandmother was right though, she would need to commit all of her focus to Ranma. There would be no second chance if she ruined this opportunity, besides where ever her husband was there was bound to be plenty of opportunity to train. After all like her Ranma lived on the challenges that came with martial arts. For the rest of the trip to mainland China Shampoo couldn't help but dream of what a life with such a powerful husband would be like.  
  
*****  
  
"What's this about Sugar?"  
  
"Yeah, spill it Nabiki, and what's with all the secrecy? If it you know something about Ranma then maybe you should involve Happosai and Dr. Tufu." Nabiki watched her little sister from the corner of her eye, she loved her sister but knew that Akane was too immature and impatient to use this information effectively. No, it was Ukyo that would take the lead in this crisis and possibly find some answers that would help in getting Ranma back. It would be Ukyo and not Akane because Akane was too easy to manipulate.  
  
"The reason I didn't invite them my dear sister," Nabiki drawled staring intently at Ukyo "is because they already know."  
  
"What!!" Akane reddened in anger stomping up to her "you sold out information on MY missing fiancée before telling me."  
  
Nabiki brushed aside Akane's concern with a flip of her hand, she was much more interested in the calculating look in Ukyo's eyes and the way she barely reacted to Akanes proclamation. "Not at all, the reason they knew before you was because that is where the information originated. What they fed you so recently was a fabricated truth. Something to tell his fiancé's so that they wouldn't lose hope."  
  
"So what exactly is this truth that they supposedly kept from us and what reason did they have to lie to us. This better be worth it Sugar," Ukyo gripped her battle spatular tightly in anxiety.  
  
"Sit down Akane, I'm getting to it Ukyo. This tid bit you won't regret paying for," Nabiki watched her little sister sit down with a huf waiting for news of a fiancé she often rejected. "Luckily for you my equipment is hardier than the dojo, it was only by chance that I got this much with the amount of damage done to it."  
  
Ignoring the impatient glares thrown her way Nabiki casually withdrew a tape recorder and pressed play. Despite the work she had done to the recording the sound still remained scratchy and distant. "what will we tell the children, no matter what they thought of him it was Ranma who held them together."  
  
She just watched as her little sister and Ukyo struggled to make out the words of the conversation. There concentration was she knew the only thing holding their anger in check, dumb jock that he was Ranma sure knew how to inspire loyalty.  
  
"So the question now is what we do now we know" Ukyo strained over the tail static of the tape. "If they kept such information from us in the first place then they will hardly help us now that we know and no matter what was said in that dojo, you can be sure that everyone had their own agenda's"  
  
**Crack**  
  
Nabiki turned sharply as Akane put her fist through the floor, "those, those…How long were they not going to tell us, how LONG!!"  
  
"Calm down Akane, we need to figure out what we do now and besides there isn't much we could do to Cologne and Happosai anyway. Besides I'm not convinced that they didn't have a good point not telling us right away."   
  
Ukyo and Akane just stared at her incredulously, "think, what would have happened if word got out that Ranma has disappeared indefinitely with no way of getting back. This way it's just like he disappeared on one of his training trips."  
  
"Right well I'm off to Dr. Tofu's, I still think he has the best bet of finding Ranma and he's not the type of person to refuse help."  
  
Nabiki watched Ukyo leave and turned expectantly to Akane, "so what are you going to do Akane. Who knows what your fiancé is getting up to without you around?" She couldn't help but smirk as Akane quickly started to loose her temper again. Akane was so easy to manipulate, the truth was she didn't want Ranma to come back. The Amazons could have him for all she cared, Ranma was a little too expensive to maintain.  
  
"Umphh, I'll be in the dojo. Ranma can do what he likes besides with his cute fiancé helping him it's not like he'll be gone for long."   
  
The middle Tendo daughter stared disapprovingly at the hole in the floor before once again smirking at the recently slammed door. 'Even if he gets back he won't be staying here, he'll be someone else's problem by then little sister.'  
  
*****  
  
Happosai puffed some more tobacco some into the air, obscuring his view of the sunset. It was peaceful up here on the rooftop, it was a rare occurrence that he could enjoy it, too often the Tendo's rooftop was occupied by his heir. He had been watching Ranma since he had escaped from his temporary imprisonment and he liked what his art had become. Sure it lacked an experience and diversity that only time would give it but what it lacked there it more than made up in potential.   
  
As he once again went over the various conflicts Ranma had been through and plotted the progress of his heir he amused himself by blowing shapes of smoke and creating a parade with his chi. Ranma risked reaching a plateau in Nerima, it wasn't often that one encountered beings of Herbs and Saffrons power and certainly not in Nerima.   
  
Then again there was more than just strength in the art and Ranma would never learn that in Nerima. No, to continue to grow his heir needed to strike out and rely only on himself and his skills. In this respect, his heir being tossed into an unknown world was a godsend, a godsend that he was reluctant to interfere in. He, Cologne and Dr. Tufu had all made pledges to investigate and seek Ranma's return but he knew that just as he had an agenda Cologne would as well.  
  
But his agenda involved leaving Ranma where he was, Cologne would most likely attempt to send Shampoo and possibly some more Amazon warriors after Ranma and then there was Dr. Tofu. Dr. Tofu would have to deal with the kids of Nerima. Nabiki thought she was so clever in telling Akane and Ukyo what she had heard, she still had a lot to learn. That little stunt would make any investigations more difficult, a situation which would most likely favour everybody but those that wanted Ranma's return.  
  
He had some things to consider then, would he stay here and run interference or would he run interference from elsewhere. It was unlikely that he would be welcome in the Amazon village but he could interfere from the Amazons plans from anywhere but Nerima. Who then was the more competent, Cologne or Dr. Tofu he would have to chose since he could disrupt both himself. Ordinarily he would say Cologne but Dr. Tofu had some qualities in his favour. Still he would need to choose soon before the fruition of either of their plans.  
  
Scene with   
  
A/N - Shaidar Haran abilities slowly evolve as more seals are broken so don't think, hey why doesn't he just kick Ranma's ass. 


	3. Ch 3

Trust  
  
Ch3: Untitled  
  
Ranma was angry, at himself and at the monstrosities that persisted in attacking him and slaughtering the villagers. His aura flared wildly as he thought of the horrors he had both witnessed and participated in. He was out of control and he knew it, but it didn't stop him from smacking a ram headed ogre into a stone house hard enough to crumble the building around the beast. These fiends might look tough but they were incredibly slow and a decent hit crushed them.   
  
No, he needed to calm down and stop this rampage, Ranma freely admitted to himself that he had been caught up in the 'them and us' mentality along with the other top knotted sword wielding defenders. Their lack of remorse should not have controlled his actions in this situation, although the brutes carried potentially deadly weapons there was little chance of those cursed blades ever getting close enough to harm him and it wasn't like him to wildly lash out in retaliation like this. He needed to calm down, to focus and forget all the betrayals in his past.  
  
The sudden lack of buildings caused him to momentarily pause and his aura to falter. He had been so lost in his anger at the inhuman actions of the invaders that threatened the small community that he had not realised he had been making his way out of the township and closer to the centre of the fighting, the front line of defence.   
  
Ranma's moment of distraction provided enough opportunity for three of the brutes to jump him from behind. Only the rusted creaking of their mismatched mail and the sound of their cursed blades cutting through the air forewarned him allowing him to avoid the attacks. Counter attacking by reflex Ranma winced as the sound of cracking bone and the wet sucking sound of pierced lungs, they died too easily and too quickly when he forgot himself like that.   
  
Diving to the ground to avoid the sharpened metal arrowhead that pierced his aura and almost managed to impale him Ranma turned to see who had shot at him. Although he didn't see anyone, the one responsible for shooting at him could only have been one of the village defenders, these monsters weren't armed with such weaponry and besides, the arrow had come from the wrong direction. Once again his aura exploded as his anger built at another betrayal. He had killed in defence of these people, killed and witnessed people being killed, he had only stuck around and defended them despite the stomach churning horrors he had been forced to endure for these people. He had given these people a chance to redeem the trust he had been losing and they had turned on him, spurned the chance he had given them.  
  
This was the last time, 'No longer' he roared. The heat of his aura repelled both the village defenders and the attacking monstrosities. Ranma didn't even notice though as he made his way north out of the fighting and away from the village, travelling North once again. There was no longer any other reason to stay, people would die as a result of his decision but then people would have died had he not been there. Besides it seemed that just as he had lost faith in others, others had made it clear that they no longer wanted anything to do with him.  
  
Ranma smiled grimly as one of the more humanoid attackers braved his aura to attack him. His smile lightened as it proved to have some skill with the blade it wielded and the speed to make him a threat. Still a threat and a credible challenge were two separate things and he would not allow it to stand in his way, blocking his way north, away from humanity. Ranma paused to watch the figure thrash around after a quick palm strike to the throat before continuing north ignoring the bloody and increasingly frenzied battle behind him.  
  
No, the top knotted sword wielders were just lucky not to have braved his aura. At the moment and probably further into the future he would have no doubt that he would not go easy on anything that attacked him, human or monster. He had been betrayed for the last time, he could no longer distinguish between these demons and the humans who tried defending themselves and the village against them. It was a conflict he felt no further need to interfere in.  
  
"Stop human and face me. Give me a challenge that these villages cannot," despite being whispered Ranma heard the words clearly. Or rather he felt them as they cut through his hot aura like a cold knife. Like a snake rustling through dead leaves the evil tone of the tall man mostly hidden in a black coat created a cold shiver up his spine. This was an opponent he could not, would not leave behind. Like Saffron, he felt that a fight against this foe could only help him develop and strengthen his plethora of techniques and skills as he was forced to improvise.  
  
Ranma smiled grimly, already forgetting the rivers of blood, which continued to flow in the community behind him. The coming conflict was all that mattered now, and after the fight who knew what his priorities might be.

* * *

Shaidar Haran watched in amusement as the human lashed out with lightning fast jabs and accurately placed kicks. Downing two of the foolish Trollocs who had tried to sneak up behind him in seconds and impaling the third on a broken sword wrested from one of the already bloodied Trollocs. It took seconds for him to overcome those suicidal Trollocs and confirm the conclusions Shaidar Haran had drawn about the human. In none of his previous lifetimes had Lews Therin ever mastered any sort of martial arts. His preferred weapon had always been the sword. The lethality of a master swordsman backed by the power of Saidin, always. For that to change now would be too great a shift in the pattern. Besides this human used some kind of power in combination with his peculiar style of fighting that didn't smell of Saidin. Nor did it smell of Saidar, it only lacked the sweet smell of corruption for him to draw a definite conclusion about the power the youth wielded.  
  
No this youth was no Lews Therin, no dragon reborn. He was further confused by the fact that only wielders of the true power ever made his bones ache like it did now. It wasn't possible that the Great Lord would have granted access to his power without him knowing and the power was neither Saidar nor Saidin so what was it.  
  
The Hand of the Dark felt like laughing as he watched one of the village defenders shoot at the powerful youth even as he was dealing with the weak suicidal Trollocs. Up until now he had been all that stood in his way of achieving the destruction of this town and the kidnapping of its inhabitants for the forges of Shayol Ghul. Now through the actions of one of their foolish defenders that protection had been put in jeopardy.   
  
As the glowing figure dodged the arrow, Shaidar Haran grinned evilly. He had found his challenge, someone to test his might against and explore his limits while at the same time removing a potential threat to the Shadow. Drawing deeply on the fine threads of power that connected him directly to the Great Lord he threw off his cloak, pitch-black lightning crawled against his skin – evidence of the vast power of the Lord of Lies. Mortals who craved this power often died from its addictiveness, they paid for their cravings of such awesome power.   
  
Shaidar Haran watched as the human played with one of his Myrddraal amongst the increasingly thickening wood smoke, evidence of the Sheinar town's immanent destruction. The sound of death and dying carried along with the guttural laughs of his Trollocs having fun. Not too much fun he hoped since there had to be some survivors for the forges. He would see the troops punished if there were not.   
  
Seeing the powerful human end his game with the Myrddraal he growled out a challenge, stalking the boy across the field of battle. "Stop human and face me. Give me a challenge that these villages cannot."  
  
He watched as his opponents' aura blinked out briefly before increasing in size, the visible fluctuations in the human's aura intensified the coldness in his bones as the glowing figures attention focussed on him. "I no longer have any interest in this conflict." Shaidar Haran listened to the enraged youth, the boys face filled with betrayal and his eyes shinning at the prospect of a challenging fight. "However you may provide me with a decent challenge," the boy's aura became more focused as his face was split by a grin, his teeth bared.  
  
"I will show you more than a challenge," Shaidar whispered charging the youth. "You will not live through the day," the lightning continued to web its way across his flesh as the youth shivered. Before he could draw his sword ending the fight before it began with a quick strike a cry of "Kijin Raishü Dan," filled the air.  
  
"Stupid human," Shaidar Haran sneered as the attack sped towards him. No attack that used with the true power would be affective against him, he was the Hand of the Dark, the power of the Great Lord made him invulnerable to such petty things. He had already taken precautions against possible attacks with the Saidin or Saidar, what other attacks were there that could hurt him? With the breaking of the seals he felt as if he could take on the armies of the south by himself, this human could only provide minor amusement as he explored the depths of his powers.  
  
The hand of dark was unprepared then when the attack hit him completely freezing his bones almost incapacitating him, the black web of lightning that crawled across his skin almost vanished as the power of the boy momentarily overwhelmed him. Great rents appeared in his flesh quickly filled with angry black flames. The deep cold, which had been an annoyance, intensified stopping him in his tracks. "Wha…" he stuttered in confusion drawing heavily on the Great Lords power until the ecstasy became pain, demonstrating the effectiveness of the seals that bound his prison. Only the breaking of additional seals would strengthen him further, at least the iciness that had sunk into his bones had vanished and his wounds had been healed enough for him to continue the fight- he would not lose to a mere human nor be caught unprepared again.  
  
Unfortunately by the time he had restored his protective black lightning and thawed his bones enough to move with the True power granted to him by the Shai'tan, the annoyingly persistent human had already closed the gap between them forcing him to franticly defend himself with his sword. The speed of the youth easily compared to his but he knew that one opening left in the powerful humans defences and this fight would be ended. There was a reason why he was rarely engaged in close quarters. Even a graze of his sword would be a fatal wound, the corruption of his sword would seep into the boy's spirit killing him – there was little defence certainly none that remained in this time.  
  
The Hand of the Dark blinked realising that he was being drawn into a spiral as he defended against the lightning fast jabs and kicks, not that it mattered since he had spotted an opening in the boys defences which would prove the boys downfall. "It ends now," Shaidar Haran bit out as he struck. His sword was a blur of darkness as it swallowed up all light that fell on it from the reddened sun. A desperate block proved futile as the human was flung back from the force of his strike a line of blood seeping from a shallow cut across his chest. The distance between the human and the time provided by his recovering opponent allowed him enough time to summon a wall of angry black flames, which rushed towards the fallen youth.   
  
It had indeed been a challenge, the human's speed had been phenomenal and he would have been dealt with harshly for his initial mistake of overconfidence if the boy had been able to maintain his speed. The spots of blood and the diminishing of the boy's aura in the face of his attack told him that this fight was over. Even as he watched the boy's doom he couldn't help but salute the boy's skill, he could count on one hand the forsaken and dreadlords, which would have stood up and challenged him and stood a chance. At least as much a chance as this boy had had against him.  
  
"Möko Takabisha" Shaidar Haran eyes widened as a ball of power detached itself from the humans aura and sped to intercept his black flames. The strange power that the boy wielded struck the flames engulfing them in an explosion, which shook the surrounding countryside, glazing the dirt around the explosion and knocking down the few houses left standing within the burning town.   
  
Even as he readied himself for a counterattack through the smoke and dust that obscured his vision, he knew that none would come. He had lost all sense of his opponent, an opponent that had fled the field of battle leaving him to revel in his victory and pretend that his powers had once again overwhelmed any opposition. In truth the fight had been fairly even but with the wound he had inflicted on the boy he was as good as dead anyway.

* * *

"Tell me, what do you make of this Vandene?" Adeleas asked her sister as she gazed at one of the reports she had been sent from one within her network of eyes and ears.  
  
"That's impossible? Medo was a medium sized town, there is no way enough Trollocs could have been smuggled that far south, past the borderlands armies, to burn it to the ground. Why, it would have taken at least a couple of fists." Vandene's disbelieve was apparent as she skimmed the report, they may have retreated from the world to Tifan's Well - a farming community in Arafel but still remained important to maintain awareness of the world and the increasingly frenzied events that abounded.  
  
"While I admit the destruction of Medo is serious it is not what I was referring to. This is the second report of a glowing figure attacking the forces of the shadow, once at Tarwins Gap and now at Modo. Both encounters were at a time when the shadow attacked in force, doing massive amounts of damage resulting in a large loss of life. Was the figure in fact attacking them or leading them. Evidence of a dreadlord or another male channeller on the lose in the borderlands is not what the nations needs right now, they must stand ready to unite behind the dragon and white tower against the dark one." A male channeler under the control of the dark one was almost as bad as the thought of the forsaken being released from their prison.  
  
"A dreadlord sister?" Vandene asked her sister in scepticism, "while I admit the sighting is unusual I wouldn't go that far. It is far more likely to be another of these false Dragons. Besides with news of this attack on Medo, no doubt all the armies in the borderlands will be mustered, it is unlikely that another attack of such a magnitude could be repeated or even successful with the borderlands readied and forewarned."  
  
"Vandene, I am the first to admit that our work is important. We have collected the largest store of knowledge on the prophecies outside the Tower. But we have been at this so long, how many decades have passed and we have not even started writing the history we originally planned. Why I bet few in the White Tower even remember us, we are green ajar lets leave this job to the brown where it belongs." Adeleas implored her sister, trying to stress the importance of investigating the report she still gripped in her hand further.  
  
"What has you so rattled Adeleas, we are nearing the end of our age making our work even more important. Why the time when the real Dragon distinguishes himself from the number of false ones is drawing nigh, our knowledge of the prophecies will be invaluable when it comes time for the white tower to guide him to the final confrontation."  
  
"I know, I have been through all those books as often as you and yet I feel within my bones that we must investigate these rumours. It is not far and if we are to gain anything insightful we must beat the reds to Medo. Rumours of a male channeler can only complicate things, besides we don't need the interference of the reds right now, you know how they are. Please sister it is not far and then we can return to complete our work, let us be green ajar for a time and not the brown we have convinced ourselves we are."  
  
Vandene muttered dourly at her sister's impulsiveness, Adeleas was never satisfied with the quite life of Tifan's Well. "Fine but be sure to write a report to Talene Minly, it is time we reminded the green back home that we are still alive." Not even the unenviable task of reporting to the Tower soured Adeleas spirits as she clapped her hands in joy and went to tell her warders the good news. In the time left Vandene wanted to ensure that all their work was filed. If their journey took an unexpected detour she wanted all their work to be in order for when they returned.

* * *

Happosai relaxed on the stonewall bordering the Tendo compound. It had been a couple days since Ranma had disappeared and things were already settling down into a routine. Ukyo had joined Tofu in attempting to find a way back while Nabiki had been busy needling Akane, ensuring that she stayed out of any rescue attempt. Cologne had recently sent word that Shampoo had reached their village. 'Bah' the old man grunted 'Cologne must have pushed Shampoo exceedingly hard to get there so soon. Even I would be hard pressed to travel that distance so quickly.'  
  
Rumours abounded about Ranma's disappearance but those that knew were silent. No one liked to think about the possibility that he had voluntarily left Nerima behind rather than being kidnapped. Still, it was scary thinking about someone or something that held the power to kidnap such a powerful martial artist without a struggle.   
  
Despite the days that had passed Happosai had been clueless about how he could disrupt the plans now in motion involving his heir ten thousand miles apart, it was a good thing inspiration was about to strike. "What do you want Pantyhose," he breathed through the end of his pipe calmly.  
  
"You know exactly what I want old man. I want my name changed and today you will do it." The young man dressed in loose trousers and shirt stood menacingly behind the old man with a vile of water gripped in one hand with his earrings swaying in the gentle breeze.   
  
"Perhaps Pantyhose, perhaps. Defeat me today and I will change your name to whatever you want." Pantyhose Taro stepped back in surprise, Happosai had never agreed to change his name before under any circumstances, it was as if he liked being beaten up by his cursed form every time he visited Nerima.  
  
"What's going on old man, where's the catch." Taro's grip on the vial tightened threatening to crush it, spilling the contents and activating his curse.  
  
"No catch pantyhose," Happosai cackled insanely bounding off over the skyline of Nerima. "Beat me and I will change your name, but you have to beat me."  
  
"Nothing easier," declared Taro arrogantly as he activated his curse of drowned-Yeti-riding-a-Bull-holding-a-Crane-and-Eel. Already a path of destruction could be seen in his wake as he crashed through the houses in his rush to defeat the ancient master of Anything Goes.  
  
"You wont defeat me like that," Happosai cackled throwing some of his Happö Daikarin widening the field of destruction before running off, leaping over Tofu's clinic. Both Ukyo and Tofu were skilled enough to get out of the enraged Minotaurs way but all the research, which the clinic housed, would be completely destroyed after he had finished his fight with Taro.  
  
"Whoop, ya almost got me there me boy," he shouted as he leaped over one of Taro's massive tentacles before continuing to cause mass destruction in Nerima by leading the cursed boy to the local High School. Even if he had to agree to change the boy's name it would be worth it to disrupt Tofu's plans for long enough to meddle in Colognes plans. If he was right and it was at least partly Ranma's choice to travel between dimensions then not much could be done once a decent amount of time had past. Ranma was only vulnerable to being drawn back against his will in the first month. By his calculations it would be at least that long before Tofu had restored his information on interdimension travel.  
  
"Stay still and fight letch," Taro growled out through his deformed voice box.  
  
"Okay boy, show the old man who baptised you how you've grown." Happosai replied in a relaxed stance tapping his pipe showing his readiness.

* * *

Ukyo watched the burning remains of Tofu's clinic stoic grief and a sense of defeat. Burning with the rubble of the doctor's clinic were her hopes of getting her best friend and fiancée back quickly from wherever her had been kidnapped.  
  
"Don't worry too much Ukyo, we can rebuild and there are always other sources of information" Tofu tried to cheer the young girl up as he watched Taro fly away from the destruction he had caused with an unconscious Happosai in his arms.  
  
"Doctor Tofu, how long will that take. While you had the books here I felt that the answer to being united with my Ranchan lay at my finger tips now though."  
  
Tofu sighed as looked at the depressed and defeated cook, 'Ranma wherever you are I hope you realize your absence is hurting people.'  
  
"We will get him back Ukyo, don't forget we have Happosai and the wealthy of knowledge that the amazons can provide." Tofu's determination and optimism momentarily cheered Ukyo up before she once again looked at the devastation left by the latest fight in Nerima.  
  
A/N – as usual I am releasing this before revising it. Please critique it tell me what's good what's not and Why. The Why is important if I am to improve it. Thankyou in advance for reviewing it and for continuing to read my many works, blame this chapter on Teal Thanatos J 


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